title: Using small molecules to facilitate exchange of bicarbonate and chloride anions across liposomal membranes.
abstract: Bicarbonate is involved in a wide range of biological processes, which include respiration, regulation of intracellular pH and fertilization. In this study we use a combination of NMR spectroscopy and ion-selective electrode techniques to show that the natural product prodigiosin, a tripyrrolic molecule produced by microorganisms such as Streptomyces and Serratia, facilitates chloride/bicarbonate exchange (antiport) across liposomal membranes. Higher concentrations of simple synthetic molecules based on a 4,6-dihydroxyisophthalamide core are also shown to facilitate this antiport process. Although it is well known that proteins regulate Cl(-)/HCO(3)(-) exchange in cells, these results suggest that small molecules may also be able to regulate the concentration of these anions in biological systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA. jdavis@umd.edu
authors.forename: Jeffery T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Philip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Gale
authors.forename: Oluyomi A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Okunola
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Prados
authors.forename: Jose Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Iglesias-Sánchez
authors.forename: Tomás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Torroba
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Quesada
mesh_terms: D000838:Anions / Q000737:chemistry; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000737:chemistry*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000737:chemistry*; D017136:Ion Transport; D017736:Ion-Selective Electrodes; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry*; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D011353:Prodigiosin / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000838:Anions; D001639:Bicarbonates; D002712:Chlorides; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008081:Liposomes; D011353:Prodigiosin